DCA, Future Expansion
Topic: Why Walt Disney Plaza?

#	Author	Message
11	bean Sat 5/17/2008 11:06p	the plans at the moment is not to have the theater empty. Although the walt Disney story is on hold at least for now, ideas are being considered to have cartoons and movies play inside the theater during the day and then have live directors and writers from Pixar and Disney Animation in the evenings doing presentations. The main thing is that the structure would be built and available for a future more permanent attraction
12	WilliamK99 Sat 5/17/2008 11:33p	That kind of attraction that bean describes is not without presidence. I remember back before the Fantasy Land redo there was a quaint little theatre in Fantasyland that showed old Disney cartoons. I think such an attraction would be a welcome reprieve from the heat.
13	DlandDug Sat 5/17/2008 11:54p	I am happy with the proposed Walt Disney Plaza because it addresses what I long ago felt was one of DCA's biggest failings. When guests arrive at any Disney theme park built since 1955, there is a sense that they have arrived SOMEPLACE. It may be obvious (the Oasis at DAK, Hollywood Blvd. at DHS), it may be arbitrary (Main Street USA at any Magic Kingdom), or it may be arcane (the awesome [original, pre-gravestone] entry plaza at Epcot). At DCA there is no sense you have arrived anywhere in particular. There is a series of unrelated experiences (ticket booths that vaguely resemble turnstyles at a small town bus station, giant tile murals that, in a rush, look like faded billboards, an ill proportioned miniature of the Golden Gate Bridge, and the horror that is "Sunshine Plaza"), culminating in an area with the most disparate collection of odds and ends ever casually tossed into a blender (Mission style train station, rock work, animated signs, a giant fountain hidden behind planters full of pampas grass, the SUN ICON [aka: hubcap], barely decorated show buildings, a neo-Babylonian entry portal, a streamline deco building, and the tippy top of the Crossroads of the World sign, minus the signage). It is absolutely nowhere, everywhere, and "who-cares" all rolled into one. So Walt Disney Plaza (which I feel falls into the "arbitrary" category) is a vast improvement in that guests will now understand they have arrived SOMEPLACE when they enter DCA. Works for me.
14	WorldDisney Sun 5/18/2008 12:59a	LOL, when you put it like that, wow, the entry way TRULY does suck, doesn't it? How these people managed to get this park approved in the first place, I will never know??
15	sgttibs Sun 5/18/2008 8:05a	While I really do like the entrance, I can see that the disparate iconography you find in a postcard leaves Sunshine Plaza a mess. What I still don't understand is why Disney is so set on the duplicating the DHS aesthetic. Why another homage to the Pan Pacific Auditorium? It's not as if locals never see the facsimile out in the Fairfax district. Like the Crossworlds fixture set atop a storefront and the smoothie station resembling "Mickey's of Hollywood," it's another ubiquitous LA-design element that won't attract much attention, other than from fans. The letters, on the other hand, are still the park's most popular photo spot. Given all the plaza / backlot changes, maybe Disney's Hollywoodland Studios would be a better name for the place. Then they could call it "Holywoodland Studios" and "Horrorwoodland Studios" for seasonal events.
16	ShortRound Fri 5/23/2008 2:16p	I worked at DL during the construction and rollout of DCA. It was far more dissapointing at rollout than it is now. I actually like the place now and wouldn't mind paying $33 bucks for it (ala' 2'fer). In regards to WorldDisney's comments it's rather simple how the park got approved. Basically Eisner conceptualized DCA on an idea that he thought was more beneficial business-wise to the corporation rather than sticking to more traditional Disney standards. If you really think about it you can spot the subtle things such as the winery being probably one of the nicest restaurants visually in both parks (with the exception of 33). The "Suits" at the Disney parks will say that Eisner really built some of the things in DCA as showpieces of sorts to showoff to his various business partners and shareholders, hence the winery which was commonly used for private lunch meetings in the early days of the park. Cynthia Harris had NO IDEA how to make decisions about DLR based on Disney tradition and heritage let alone did she know how to treat the cast members who worked there. The core concept of DCA was based off of statistics and profit points rather than the total guest experience, specifically younger guests and families. It was designed around the principle that there was a target demographic that was not spending enough money or time at DL and Eisner wanted to tap into that. He also thought that by building a park themed after California itself then it would generate more interest amongst locals and tourists. We all know now that it failed but at least now they are taking some steps to re-vitalize the park. Statistically Epcot statistically would not have looked appealing to Eisner at the time that Disney was researching theming for the new park hence one reason why he turned down WDI's Westcot proposal. Also in the first year or so before and after DCA was built the DLR was aggressively being rented for after-hours parties held by large corporations and celeberaties, I remember myself working OT for 8 or so parties in a two year period basically doing guest services work (a.k.a. crowd control). While nothing was said officially of this by Eisner or Harris all the CM's could tell that the general mindset of the execs at Disney, then with Roy off the board already, was to increase the profitability of DLR aggressively using any business-world tactics possible.
17	ShortRound Fri 5/23/2008 2:19p	There is a current sale on "Statistically's", get yours, capitalized or un-capitalized TODAY!!
18	Jim in Merced CA Fri 5/23/2008 2:46p	Hi! Hey, as long as they're redoing the Sunshine Plaza, here's hoping they'll also re-do the music. Can we all hope together that they get rid of the tired 'California' themed music like 'California Dreamin' 'California Here I Come' 'I Love L.A.' and 'Hollywood Nights' Please? Who's with me?
19	mstaft Fri 5/23/2008 3:38p	Sign me up.
20	alexbook Fri 5/23/2008 3:54p	>>Can we all hope together that they get rid of the tired 'California' themed music like 'California Dreamin' 'California Here I Come' 'I Love L.A.' and 'Hollywood Nights' Please? Who's with me?<< I enjoy the music, but I wish it were on a longer loop. There are plenty more California-themed songs they could have used, so we wouldn't have to hear the same ones over again.

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